Friday, September 23, 2011

London's Biggest Explosion

This forlorn monument, tucked away in deepest Docklands, commemorates what was probably London's biggest ever explosion. It happened in a TNT factory in Silvertown in 1917, which was purifying TNT against advice of the factory scientists ("manifestly very dangerous") - sited in a densely populated area. Apparently 50 tons of TNT exploded as well as a gasometer and the blast could be heard 100 miles away. 73 people died (amazingly few) but the area was devastated. Read more about it here

I grew up near an area called the Powder Forest. Not for the snow, but for the black powder manufactured there. After a 19th century explosion took out a good chunk of the plant (and a number of people) they divided it up into smaller 'pillboxes' throughout the woodlands.

Newer buildings are now designed to literally blow up, as opposed to out ("weak" ceilings direct the blast straight up and away from surrounding area). The last big explosion was about 25 years ago, which instantly vaporised three workers and blew out windows more than a half mile away. 100 homes had to be evacuated.